Kevin Haskin: Taylor nearly costs KU, but also makes KU

How Kansas avoided yet another late meltdown on Monday requires some inspection.

Tyshawn Taylor was providing all the elements necessary for a collapse, either with turnovers or missed front ends.

Unlike — gosh, lemme think, oh yeah — the game at Missouri, the No. 4 Jayhawks survived. For that, they should thank Kansas State after handing the Wildcats a 59-53 defeat.

“We were fortunate tonight,’’ KU coach Bill Self acknowledged. “There were several things that happened we were pretty fortunate with. Not everything went our way obviously, but there were some things that went our way.’’

Maybe the best break was the schedule itself. This was not Missouri, which may just possess the most fluid college offense in America.

K-State needed just a little of that punch down the stretch.

Instead, the Wildcats scored on just one of their last six possessions, a 3-pointer by Rodney McGruder with 8.1 seconds left, and shot just 30.8 percent from the floor in spite of 20 points from Jamar Samuels.

The late cold snap enabled the Jayhawks to overcome four empty possessions of their own, two on missed front ends by Taylor and another on a travel call against the senior.

But because Kansas pulled it out, Taylor also deserves credit. The good cop, bad cop corollary fit again.

He finished with 20 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds.

More amazing was incredible makes from Taylor, including a 3-pointer at the end of the shot clock with 11:10 left to give KU the lead for keeps after K-State recovered from a 10-point halftime deficit to go up briefly, 37-36.

Even when Self talks about his most experienced threat, he mixes the good with the bad.

“Those two front ends (late), they would have ended the game for us,’’ Self said.

But he also threw in this: “Tyshawn has been unbelievable in conference play, arguably the best player in conference play.’’

The bumps never seem to quite smooth out, however, even with Taylor’s behavior.

He’ll go for segments calling attention with only his performance. Then, for whatever reason, Taylor becomes intent on popping his jersey at the crowd. He did so both in the final minute and after the game. He also spent some spare time during timeouts complaining to refs, as did teammate Thomas Robinson.

Not sure, really, how much Kansas needs that stuff.

But it was again obvious Monday that KU needs Taylor. And, of course, Robinson. Before the season ever started, Self pointed to that pair and proclaimed his excitement over the influence they would provide his inexperienced team.

Now, as the Jayhawks maintain the pace toward an eighth straight Big 12 championship, the duo — along with surging center Jeff Withey — makes KU a strong possibility for a one-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Surviving the late scare in Bramlage was a nice lift too.

“It crossed my mind a few times,’’ Taylor admitted. “I was trying not to think about it. ... Afterward, though, I told my team in the locker room we were able to stick together and battle through.’’